Gameday fashion plays an important role in football and tailgating culture at LSU and different trends gain and lose popularity each year.
With the season coming to an end, here are some of the most popular game day fashion trends of the 2024 LSU football season:

Midi and Maxi Dresses

One trend that has surfaced this year was the rise of longer-length dresses and skirts. Shorter dresses and mini skirts were popular among many female tailgaters and game goers in the past, but this season there has been a shift away from these articles of clothing.
Lauren Garrido, a marketing manager at Baton Rouge boutique Frock Candy, says these longer styles are very versatile, and tailgaters often dress them up or down.
“One of the biggest trends that I’ve seen this year that’s different than any other year I’ve seen is midi and maxi dresses and skirts,” Garrido said. “A lot of people are wearing those long dresses and skirts to games and styling them more casually like with boots or sneakers.”
Denim and flowy white maxi skirts have also been a fan favorite on the parade grounds this year, along with matching midi and maxi sets. These styles can often feel more dressy than the go-to tailgating looks of years past. Garrido says this trend expresses the importance of fashion and dressing up as part of gameday culture in the South.
“I feel like in the South specifically, getting dressed up in general is a big part of our culture, especially when you go to a college town,” Garrido said. “People make the joke, ‘is it gameday or is it a fashion show,’ but people just love any excuse to dress up really.”

Neutrals

There has been a noticeable shift away from purple and gold gameday attire in favor of more neutral looks. Jenna Munch, a sales lead at Bella Bella boutique and a junior psychology major at LSU, has seen this trend take place firsthand in the shop and in Tiger Stadium.
“I have seen a lot of people stray away from the gold and purple so much,” Munch said. “I’ve seen a lot of people go more neutral and wear more white and more beige and even more black too. It’s versatile, so they don’t just have to wear it for gameday.”
This trend went hand in hand with the maxi and midi dress trend this season. Many tailgaters wore longer dresses and skirts in neutral colors. Allison Linton, a sophomore political science major at LSU, said that despite the diluted color scheme, purple and gold are still present in game day accessories.
“I feel like recently it’s been less about doing the purple and gold and more about doing neutral with purple and gold accents,” Linton said.

Gameday Buttons and Chunky Jewelry

Gameday buttons bearing slogans like “Play Neck”, “STTDB” and “Geaux Tigers” have also grown in popularity. Storie Dampier, a junior marketing major at LSU and a marketing assistant at Frock Candy, said that buttons are a convenient way to add LSU spirit to a more basic outfit.
“It’s just easier to have an LSU button and throw it on than to find a purple outfit,” Dampier said. “I liked having neutrals, because it’s easier to rewear them. I would buy things I can wear multiple times and then just throw an LSU pin on.”
Tailgaters favored chunkier jewelry, especially larger charm necklaces with shapes like hearts and stars this year. Gold jewelry appeared to be the most popular and was a subtle way to incorporate LSU’s colors into a classy gameday outfit. Linton feels that accessories like these are part of what makes a complete LSU gameday outfit.
“When you put it all together it’s like a piece of art with your necklaces and your shoes and your dress and then even your hair and makeup,” Linton said. “When it’s all put together you have an appearance to show everyone.”

Cowgirl Boots

“I definitely think cowgirl boots are the way to go for gameday, and that’s what we’ve been asked about a lot,” Munch said.
The cowgirl boots are here to stay. From classic brown leather to bright white, these shoes have become a game day fashion staple in the South and for the foreseeable future. The consensus remains that it’s worth investing a decent pair of boots if you plan to spend any time tailgating on the LSU parade grounds.
“I feel like they are such a staple with southern gamedays,” Dampier said. “People from out of state will say they need to get boots just for game days.”

Renting Instead of Buying

Another popular trend among fashionable LSU fans has been to rent gameday attire, rather than purchasing it. Clothing rental companies like Nuuly and Rent the Runway have made it convenient for users to get trendy outfits without spending too much money.
Even for tailgaters who don’t rent, borrowing clothes and accessories from friends is a foolproof method to expanding one’s gameday wardrobe. Linton says this also adds to the entirety of the tailgating fashion experience.
“It makes sense,” Linton said. “Why would I go buy a dress every gameday when they have a whole closet full of the cutest dresses? I love to borrow. Trying on friends’ clothes and borrowing is definitely part of the experience too. You’re all hanging out with friends in an apartment and giving each other fashion shows trying on each other’s clothes.”